Why is Aboriginal content being embedded in the curriculum and what does this look like?
Aboriginal perspectives and knowledge are a part of the historical and contemporary foundation of BC and Canada. An important goal in integrating Aboriginal perspectives into curriculum is to ensure that all learners have opportunities to understand and respect their own cultural heritage as well as that of others
The First Peoples Principles of Learning provided a crucial lens for the teacher teams when drafting curricula, and all curriculum teams included Aboriginal representation. The teams put great effort into embedding Aboriginal knowledge and worldviews in the curriculum in authentic, meaningful ways.
References to Aboriginal knowledge and worldviews are both explicit and implicit in the redesigned curricula and are evident in the rationale statements, goals, learning standards and in some of the elaborations.
In some areas of learning, explicit Aboriginal content is included (e.g., information about residential schools in Social Studies; Aboriginal peoples’ uses of indigenous plants and animals, or their knowledge of the sky and landscape, in Science). In other areas, there are opportunities to learn about Aboriginal people in the local community, for example, or Aboriginal literature.
From Kindergarten to graduation, students will experience Aboriginal perspectives and understandings as an integrated part of what they are learning.
First identified in relation to English 12 First Peoples, the following First Peoples Principles of Learning apply to all areas of the curriculum:
First Peoples: Principles of Learning ● Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors. ● Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place). ● Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions. Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities. ● Learning recognizes the role of indigenous knowledge. ● Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story. ● Learning involves patience and time. ● Learning requires exploration of one’s identity. ● Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations.
Resources from First Nations Steering Committee (FNESC):
- Aboriginal perspectives and knowledge are a part of the historical and contemporary foundation of BC and Canada. An important goal in integrating Aboriginal perspectives into curriculum is to ensure that all learners have opportunities to understand and respect their own cultural heritage as well as that of others
- The First Peoples Principles of Learning provided a crucial lens for the teacher teams when drafting curricula, and all curriculum teams included Aboriginal representation. The teams put great effort into embedding Aboriginal knowledge and worldviews in the curriculum in authentic, meaningful ways.
- References to Aboriginal knowledge and worldviews are both explicit and implicit in the redesigned curricula and are evident in the rationale statements, goals, learning standards and in some of the elaborations.
- In some areas of learning, explicit Aboriginal content is included (e.g., information about residential schools in Social Studies; Aboriginal peoples’ uses of indigenous plants and animals, or their knowledge of the sky and landscape, in Science). In other areas, there are opportunities to learn about Aboriginal people in the local community, for example, or Aboriginal literature.
- From Kindergarten to graduation, students will experience Aboriginal perspectives and understandings as an integrated part of what they are learning.
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculum.gov.bc.ca/files/pdf/faq.pdfAboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives in the Classroom: Moving Forward
https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/awp_moving_forward.pdf
First Peoples: Principles of Learning - Poster - First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC)
http://www.fnesc.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/PUB-LFP-POSTER-Principles-of-Learning-First-Peoples-poster-11x17.pdf
First Peoples: Principles of Learning
● Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
● Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
● Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions. Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.
● Learning recognizes the role of indigenous knowledge.
● Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
● Learning involves patience and time.
● Learning requires exploration of one’s identity.
● Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations.
Learning First Peoples Classroom
http://www.fnesc.ca/learningfirstpeoples/
Grade 5 Indian Residential Schools and Reconciliation
http://www.fnesc.ca/grade5irsr/
Authentic First Peoples Resources: For Use in K-7 Classrooms
http://www.fnesc.ca/k-7/
Grade 5 Indian Residential Schools and Reconciliation
http://www.fnesc.ca/grade5irsr/
Math First Peoples Resource Guide - Designed to support teachers of Math 8 & 9:
http://www.fnesc.ca/resources/math-first-peoples/
The Spirit of Alliances: A Journey of Good Hearts and Good Minds:
Greater Victoria School District 61: Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement 2013-2018
https://documents.sd61.bc.ca//ANED/spotlight/ABORIGINAL_EDUCATION_ENHANCEMENT_AGREEMENT_2013-2018.pdf
Aboriginal Nations Education Division (ANED) - Resources